Find You First - Linwood Barclay

Linwood Barclay is on my list of favorite authors - I don't even bother reading the synopsis - I just know I'm going to enjoy it. And I most certainly did with his latest - Find You First.

Miles Cookson owns a successful tech company. He struggled financially when he was starting out - even resorting to being a paid sperm donor. He's just received some disturbing medical news - he has a terminal condition that can be passed onto the next generation. Well...the only children he has would be the result of those donations. He's determined to find them..... but so is someone else.....

Miles was a great protagonist, eminently likeable, calm (mostly) and caring. The first of the nine he finds is Chloe and she's front and center with Miles for the rest of the book. She's smart, sassy and seemingly fearless. The interactions between the two are well played. And there's some poignant moments as well. You'll have no problem identifying the antagonists - some nasty characters there.

The plot of Find You First is full of unpredictable twists and turns, keeping the listener in suspense from first chapter to last. There's so much more going on than just a hunt for those nine progeny. One element of the plot has taken inspiration from news headlines. 

There are multiple points of view in Find You First that really worked for this book, giving the listener an inside look at all of the plot threads. There are lots of choices for the whodunit. The action is non stop and made for addictive listening.

I chose to listen to Find You First. I was delighted to find that  George Newbern was the reader. He is hands down one of my favorite narrators. He has the most interesting, expressive voice with a somewhat sardonic bent to it. He brings an author's work to life with his inflections, timber and tone. His voice is clear, easy to understand and pleasant to listen to. He changes things up for each character and it is easy to know who is speaking. Another five star performance for Newbern. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of Find You First.